


First Hunt

by Wayward_Chronicler



Series: Chosen of The Crown [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors, Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Cast in order of appearance, Gen, Influenced heavily by The Witcher, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-27 05:53:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9979298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wayward_Chronicler/pseuds/Wayward_Chronicler
Summary: Link of Outset is a Chosen of Hyrule.  Trained and conditioned from childhood in swordplay and simple sorcery to serve The Royal Family as champions against the threats to The Kingdom.  But to truly become one, he must earn the blue and white tunic of the champions. To do so, he must complete his first hunt.  He must find the monster stalking the roads along the Hera Valley and put an end to the terror it is causing.





	1. One

Link clenched his eyes shut tighter when he felt a foot nudge his stomach. He coiled inward with a groan as his ears caught the sound of a fire crackling and a man coughing.

“C’mon kid! Time to get up!” he heard. “Today’s the day!”

“More pendulums?” he muttered. “Or the pots?”

“Today’s the day you earn your royals.”

His eyes shot open hearing that and bolted upright. His mentor Alfonzo sat on a log by the fire. He had his white sword in his lap and was carefully sharpening it with a whetstone. He wore the very armor that he’d just spoken of; a royal blue tunic with white markings along it. Chainmail was underneath it with simple plate greaves over his boots. Around the older hylian’s neck was a red pendant sphere bearing the mark of Din.

 

“Thought we were just,” the young hylian shook his head and looked at the fire as he trailed off.

“We were what? Another bit of wilderness training?” He chuckled a little. “When Rauru feels someone who has completed the trials is ready, their mentor takes them on their first true hunt. It is one of the oldest traditions we have. There is a monster around here. It has been causing problems for Kasuto. You are going to find it and then go from there.” He stopped sharpening the sword to inspect it before grabbing his blue and gold scabbard off the ground to sheath the blade.

“Okay…” Link took a deep breath that turned into a yawn as he started to wake up. He spotted Epona and his mentor’s stallion not far off, already with saddles and bridles ready for the day.

“So. What’d be our first step?”

“Not going to…”

“I’m only here in case it’s beyond your capabilities, kid. This is a trial.”

He nodded a little then, understanding. “Then…” His stomach rumbled. “Breakfast first.”

Alfonzo chuckled. “Don’t want to hunt on an empty stomach.”

“Yeah.” He groaned again as he got to his feet and pulled the simple leather jerkin he used for armor off the ground. A moment later he’d pulled it on and finished tying it on. He grabbed his boots then and pulled them on. “So, after breakfast. Should probably head to Kasuto. Ask them what they’ve seen.”

“Could do that.”

“But we’re not going to.” He watched Alfonzo’s face. This was not what he’d expected when they’d headed out from the tower at dawn yesterday. Maybe his mentor would give something away that would give him some direction if he kept suggesting courses of action.

“I don’t know.”

He shook his head. “You’re no help, you know that?”

“Thought you grew out of the ‘moody teenager’ phase a couple years ago, kid.” He dug about in one of their packs, getting some rations out and offering them to Link. “Besides, this is a trial. I can’t help you.”

“I’m still a teenager, you know. So I could still be in that ‘phase’ as you called it.” He took a bite out of the biscuit.

“By Din I hope you’re not like this when you’re older!”

“Only with you, uncle!”

The older man laughed heartily and leaned back. After a minute he composed himself, grinning. “At least you’re not calling me dad anymore! Seriously though, Link. I can’t help you on this with what we should and shouldn’t do. Think back on your training. Some of the jobs we worked. Like the tektites along the pass or the ghoul nest out by Kakariko.”

Link chewed on his breakfast as he thought, watching the fire. He had an idea though as he swallowed. “We checked along the roads. The villagers might not be able to tell us much we don’t already know as they may not have seen it.”

“Okay.”

“We know that.” He paused to yawn. “That there’s trade and people come up to the tower sometimes with goods for us. And it’s usually pretty active. So we’ll probably run into one of the merchants along the way. Who may have seen something?” He stopped talking then as he realized something. “Unless the monster has caused enough problems that no one is going along the roads unless they absolutely have to.” He looked down at the biscuit in his hand. “In which case.” His free hand reached up to his neck to the charm there; a green sphere bearing the mark of Farore. He let go of it then and looked at Alfonzo. His mentor still bore a neutral look on his face, chewing his breakfast. “They’re probably not up yet though.

“Someone’s always up in the seer’s chambers. Just in case someone needs something.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather not get in another argument with Osfala.” He shoved the rest of his breakfast in his mouth and grabbed his canteen to wash it down.

“You just want to talk to the girls again.”

“Thas nit.” Crumbs fell out of his mouth a little.

“Swallow, then talk.”

He did. “That’s not true.”

“Uh-huh.”

Link swallowed a mouthful of water. “Okay, maybe a little. But they’re almost always stuck on Tower grounds. Only time they get out is when they’re sent around here for herbs and mushrooms for potions. And heck, seems like whenever we get mages from Lanayru that they’re actually afraid of the twins.”

“Well, you’ve seen what they can do.”

“I know, but still.” He wiped his mouth after another sip and capped his canteen. “Hey, when I get the royals, that means I can requisition special help. The Right of Levy, right? So then-“

Alfonzo shook his head. “That’s for noncombatants. If Hyrule were to go to war, everyone at The Tower would be a soldier in it.” He smiled a little. “But if they’re close to The Tower, I doubt anyone would object to you taking one of them out to help you on a nearby job. Like if Lana was sent out to gather herbs and mushrooms for our potions.” He cleared his throat and got to his feet then. “But goin’ back to The Tower to get someone to help you would defeat the purpose of this.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s tradition.”

“Stupid reason then. We’re supposed to use all our resources at our disposal, right?”

“It is a stupid reason,” he admitted. “But sometimes you won’t have those resources at your disposal. So you need to improvise.”

“So I can’t use the charm then.”

“Never said that. Just said you couldn’t go get another Chosen or Lana or Cia to come help out.” He handed Link the scabbard, the sword resting within it.

“Okay.” He took it and slipped it on his back after pulling the straps free so he could. Link glanced around and grabbed the round wooden shield off the ground and slid it on his back and his pack. “So. We’ll go to the roads then. If we run into someone we’ll ask, if not we’ll look for signs of any activity. Maybe broken trees or tracks that don’t look like the usual traders and horses.”

“Okay.”

Link pulled his gloves on before fitting the leather bracers over his forearms and looked to the fire. He smothered it quickly until it died and grabbed his leather wrap-up, containing his elixirs and oils for his sword. “What do you think it could be?”

“Don’t know yet.” He walked over to the horses, stroking his stallion’s neck.

“It’s obviously not something like a pack of stalkin though. I’ve read the reports. It’s got people scared. Foglet maybe? Or a big blin? And if this is my trial then-”

Alfonzo turned. “Link, do you know the scar I have across my chest?” He saw his charge nod. “I got that on my first hunt. About your age.”

“Oh.” Link’s face turned pale. “The Helmasaur King.”

“Yeah. For all we know you’re going to go up against something like that. Or an archgriffin like the one that nearly took my leg because of its acid.”

“Acid?”

“Archgriffins spit acid.” He mounted his stallion as Link climbed on Epona’s back. “And you’d know that if you didn’t fall asleep in Horwell’s class or were watching the twins while he was lecturing.” Alfonzo stifled a laugh or two at Link’s stammering.

 

* * *

 

They were along the road for about an hour, traveling mostly in silence when they came upon the overturned carts. A few bodies lay around it, two of which had been ripped apart, their entrails scattered around them. One of the carts was ablaze, smoke billowing from it. Link pulled back on Epona’s reins and stopped her. Alfonzo pulled his blade from his back as he stopped his horse as well. Letting go of the reins, he gripped his charm. Link grabbed the one around his neck and sent a small pulse of magic through it. He picked up a faint magic trace near the carts and climbed off his horse. It was too faint for him to easily follow through, but he knew it was to the west, into the forest.

“Alright,” Alfonzo said. “Get to work, kid. Already got help to come look soon as we’re done, but this is part of your trial.”

“Right.” Link dismounted then and carefully inspected the area as he walked over to the cart. Smoke was still rising from it. Most of it appeared to be kegs of goods, though the smoke and damage hid the destroyed goods, he could smell cooked meats of all kinds, with bacon being the strongest. He inspected the bodies then of the people in the dirt. The clothing was soaked with so much blood it was impossible to tell what color their shirts had been before the attack. All of them were men though; one carried a club. It was still on his hip, meaning he’d never gotten a chance to fight back. He took a deep breath and looked away from them for a minute. It was not been the first time he’d seen the gruesome results of monster attacks or a fight but he was still uncomfortable seeing it, even though he’d been told repeatedly he’d grow used to it. Link took a deep breath and knelt by the severed torso of one of the travelers. Carefully, he studied the body.

 

“Singed badly,” he said. “Serious burns on the exposed flesh, but that wasn’t what killed him.” He gripped the charm around his neck and sent a pulse of magic through it. A small gust of wind billowed around him, causing dust to kick up ever so slightly. He didn’t sense any magic around him other than his own. “Magic didn’t cause this.” There was a gaping hole in his chest and stomach as well. Carefully, Link turned the body over to inspect the exit wound. It was narrower than the front, but it was clearly gored and whatever had caused it had shaken the body. It was clear the central wound was likely what had caused the man’s death. The shape of the wound as well suggested that it had to be a horn of some sort. He glanced over his shoulder then at his mentor who simply was watching. Ignoring the rising vomit from the stench of roasted rotting flesh, he got to his feet and inspected the footprints of the creature. They were surprisingly small but he could distinctly see the creature had three long claws on each of its feet.

“Talkin’ to yourself again I see,” Alfonzo said.

“Helping me think.” He scratched behind his head for a moment as he looked at the cart. “No signs of the horses that’d drawn the carts either.” Link walked around to the front of one of them. More of the three-long toed prints were in the dirt along with disturbed and bloodied dirt. “Well, that might be where one of them went at least.”

“What’d you find?”

“Our monster dragged one of the horses off.” He followed the marks shortly though before they seemingly vanished with the footprints. “It can fly.”

“And how do you figure?”

Link turned around as Alfonzo approached, bringing Epona and his own horse over by the reins. “No more prints around here that aren’t human or horse. It looks like it attacked, killed the merchants and then carried off one of the horses after having its fill from the cart. It’s not a mountain dodongo since those only have two toes on their claws. Not a king either since those have four legs and are far larger. And never heard of a king dodongo in the valley. They prefer the harsher conditions of the Death Mountain range.”

“Okay, so what caused this?”

“Not sure yet. But,” he gripped the charm around his neck again. “I’m sure someone back at The Tower would know. And if not, they’d have the books to go through.”

“Alright.”

He took his mentor’s words to use the charm and coiled his fingers around it. “Is someone there?” he asked quietly.

 

“So, you are on the trial then I’d assume,” a man said in his mind. The voice he knew well as belonging to the sagely priest of the goddesses at The Tower.

“Good to hear you, Rauru. Can you help me out here?” He closed his eyes. He had no need to, but had been force of habit whenever he started to use it for conversations.

“I can. What do you need?”

“Trying to identify the monster that’s been attacking the travelers between here and Kasuto. It attacked a pair of carts. Me and Uncle Alfonzo are here right now.”

“Did he offer any assistance?”

“I did not,” the older Chosen said. “I’ve just been keeping an eye out for trouble.”

“Good.” Link heard the old man cough. “So, what do you need, Link?”

“Got some information,” he said. “Need to identify this thing. Victims were burned alive, but it wasn’t a magic flame that did it, suggesting the creature can breathe fire. One was gored by what looked like a long horn through the chest. Footprints are about medium-sized and have three toes on them. It can fly too.”

“Mmm. Sounds familiar. I’ll get Cia and Osfala to take a look through the records.”

“She still mad at him?” Alfonzo asked with a slight chuckle.

“Of course she is! But that doesn’t excuse her behavior or his for that matter. I’ll let you know what we find. You’ve given us enough to start, but if you find anything else, let us know.”

“I will,” Link said. “Hey, one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“Is anyone out gathering things today for the potions? Other than some of the potentials?”

“I sent Lana out earlier. Why do you ask?”

“Uh, no reason.” The young hylian’s tone gave him away though.

“Out with it, Link,” Alfonzo said.

“Hey, you said at breakfast that no one would object to getting help from someone from The Tower who was already out in the field. Can’t use the potentials, they’re way too young and don’t have our mutations. But one of the mages. And this is technically a job.”

There was a moment of silence between the three of them as magic hummed quietly through the charms. “Did you actually say this, Alfonzo?” Rauru asked.

“I might have,” he said, trailing off.

They heard a sigh in their minds. “I’m getting too damn old for this. And knowing how well you get on with the twins, she’ll probably jump at the chance to help you. When I last used the seer’s spheres, she was near the stream heading to Kasuto. If you’re along the main road, that’s going to just be west into the forest. Just don’t let her get hurt, Link.”

“I won’t,” he said. “Thanks for the help.”

“I’ll contact you again soon as we have what that monster is. Good hunting.”

 

He let go of the charm around his neck and opened his eyes once more. Link saw his mentor doing the same, though he’d never closed his eyes. Link looked around the site again. “So. Should we? I mean some animal is gonna come along and find the bodies I’m sure. We should at least burn them.”

“Eagus is on his way with a couple soldiers,” Alfonzo said. “You go get the sorceress. I’ll stay here with the horses and make sure nothing disturbs the scene.”

“Thanks.” Link looked into the surrounding trees then, recalling his youth and when he’d be sent out of The Tower to gather herbs and mushrooms. Sometimes he’d spend a couple days out there even on his own, and knew exactly where the stream was. Without a word, he started to walk in that direction, a smile on his face. He was a mix of excited and worried for what they might encounter, but also remembered the change in tone of the old priest’s words.

 

* * *

 

 

The sun slipped through the trees above him as he continued, carefully and quickly walking when he felt the charm around his neck start to shake. He stopped in his tracks and glanced about the forest. It’d been about fifteen minutes since he’d left the road and he could hear the stream. Link focused around him, trying to hear if there was the telltale snap of a deku baba’s jaws in the bushes, or the clicking of a skulltula’s mandibles in the trees above. There were none around though. He breathed easy especially that there were none of the plants. Link gripped the charm around his neck briefly, but found no one was trying to speak with him through it. However, he could sense a strong magic upstream. He started walking along it, but broke into a run when he heard a snarling and saw a flash of white and green. The sword and shield left his back as he heard the sounds of a fight grow louder and dark blood mixing in the water.

As he reached the commotion, he instantly recognized the pack of five slimy diminutive humanoid figures. One was sent flying into the air by a gust of white and green. Shards of ice and thorns tore into the drowner as it floated for a second before it crashed into the water, next to another of its pack. A swift glance at the one next to it showed it was missing its head and left arm, with a thick frost and chunks of ice dripping off it. Four more still were standing, having surrounded a young woman with a gnarled wooden staff. Blue light that almost matched her hair color crackled in her free hand, while she expertly twirled the staff in her right. With a shout, she swept her hand out, cold air and frost forming to freeze one of the monsters solid before a jab to its chest shattered its top half entirely. Three drowners remained.

“HEY!” Link shouted, grabbing the attention of the young woman and her attackers. One of the beasts leapt at him with a snarl. He raised his shield in time to feel the beast’s weight crash into him, but he shoved back. The drowner fell on its back and, in a swift leap; Link drove the sword through its chest. As he pulled the sword out, the second jumped for him, but was grabbed by roots ripping out of the earth. It screeched violently as the earth churned under it and pulled it beneath, bones snapping like twigs as Link pirouetted into the last drowner. The blade found its neck and the drowner’s head flew from its shoulders. Its body stumbled shakily for a second before it collapsed into the stream.

“No escort today for picking mushrooms?” he asked, sheathing his blade.

“They can see me from The Tower anyways just as they can through your charm,” Lana said with a smile. It didn’t last though as she looked at the corpses. “I wasn’t expecting drowners this far north though.”

“You alright?”

She took a moment to look herself over. Link saw she was not dressed in her usual white and blue robes, but a simple stripped shirt with leather gloves and slacks. “Fine.”

“None of them bit you did they?”

“Nope. Never laid a finger on me.”

“Good. Because you know-“

“Remember who Horwell wanted to help update the bestiary, Link,” she laughed. “I know all about the sort of diseases those things can carry. A bite can kill someone who hasn’t had the enhancements or doesn’t have the spellwork to treat it. Besides, those were just common drowners, who are not poisonous.” She pointed at one of the bodies with her staff. “They don’t have the discolored limbs or the dark spots of drowned dead.”

“Still, it’s weird to see them all the way up here and not down by the village.”

Lana nodded in agreement. “Yeah.” She looked back at him, smile on her face once more. “So, more pathfinding with Alfonzo today?”

“Actually.” He was grinning now. “I’m earning my royals. And I could use your help.”

A curious gaze came across her face. “From what I read though you have to do it on your own. Use any resources you find to complete it. And I’m guessing too that it’d be the monster that’s been attacking travelers.”

He nodded. “Any resources I find can be of use. Including people who are willing to accept a request for help?”

“He’s letting you do that?”

“Found a loophole. Rauru said it was okay even.” He held up the charm around his neck, still grinning. “When I was talking with him at breakfast, Alfonzo said he didn’t think anyone from The Tower who was out and about would object to having someone help out on a job. And this is, technically a local job.”

“Well…” She was clearly thinking about it, but the way her lips were curled told him she’d already made up her mind. “Okay. Since I’m not gonna get you in trouble for it. Besides, you probably forgot your potions with Epona again.”

“I did not!”

“Did you now?”

“Yeah. I have them!” He checked the pouches on his belt, pulling out one vial labeled ‘lupine sense’. It was the only one he produced though.

She gave him an incredulous look. “No Thunderbird? Din’s Fury? Not even a red mender potion or a Nayru’s Tears?”

“Well, I wanted to find you fast to see if you wanted to help!”

“Oh, Link. You always do this.” She was still smiling at least as she to look up the stream. “Like that time with the cuccos.”

“Hey, I distinctly remember you saying ‘go ahead, increase the gate’s power, I can handle it’ before they started flooding out of there.”

“I was referring to the plan you cooked up while we were trapped in the pantry by them.” Lana shook her head while swatting at a fly that had come to feed on the dead drowners. “Let’s walk and talk. I’d rather not be here when other scavengers come for these things.”

“Works for me.” He rolled his head on his shoulders in a counterclockwise manner, loosening up. “Back to the road then?”

“In a moment I think. I want to try and find what these drowners were after. There’s probably a fresh kill further upstream. I theorize that there’s some blood from it that got in the water. The drowners smelled it and came up to feed on it.”

“Works for me. Maybe it’s related to the monster attacking the road. And since you agreed to help, this furthers that too.”

“Yep.” She spun the staff once in a full circle in her hand. “Shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this has been a long time brewing and I’ve finally worked up the courage to try throwing it on the net and seeing what happens. It all kinda started though when playing a couple old Zelda titles and realizing Link actually has a bit in common with a witcher's trade. He explores dangerous environments, tracking down and killing monsters that threaten people (admittedly not for pay) a skilled swordsman, may know some simple magic and, most importantly, learns his enemy's weakness and exploits it ruthlessly.
> 
> And thus this entire project was born.
> 
> Other notes:  
>  -Alfonzo was chosen for his mentor for the simple fact that I have plans regarding other 'mentor characters' Link knows.  
>  -Link is probably in his late teens for this piece  
>  -Lana's outfit redesign for this piece was influenced by Triss' from Assassins of Kings. Besides, all that white would get very messy very fast even if she was just picking plants for potions in the forest.
> 
> Anyways that wraps up the notes. Part two will be coming before Friday!


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and his mentor, Alfonzo are on his First Hunt. After a beast that has been attacking travelers on the road between the Tower of Hera and the village of Kasuto. Unlike previous jobs however, the young hylian is to perform this mostly on his own as a trial to earn the blue and white tunic, marking him a champion of The Kingdom and one of The Goddess' Chosen Heroes.
> 
> After investigating its most recent attack, he has enlisted the aid of his friend and one of the tower magi in training, the sorceress Lana. The two head along the stream to first check what has made the drowners come this far north.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning; there are spoilers for this piece in the final notes. So unless you really want to, it is ill-advised to skip to them.

They went another five minutes upstream, finding the waterway narrowing a little as it traveled down rocks and lapped along a simple sandy bank.  They heard birds chirping above and a glance up saw even some fluttering in the trees.  As they went, he filled her in on their findings and the most recent attack.  In exchange, Lana dug in one of the bags on her hip and pulled out three vials, handing each one to Link.

 

“A Thunderbird, a red potion and a Farore’s Kiss ,” she said.  “So you’re not completely reliant on just that one.”

 

“Thanks,” he said.  “Surprised you have them considering you can’t use any but the red one.  And even then in limited doses.”

 

“I didn’t realize I had them until I saw them while gathering.  One of the other Chosen must’ve been sent out with these bags earlier.

 

“Lucky for me then I guess.”  He stuffed each one in a pouch on his belt with the lupine sense.  “Gathering going alright?”

 

“Yeah.”  She looked up at him again.  “Owlan wanted me to get some of the more…  Dangerous ones that we don’t want the young ones touching.  Like some of the roots or deku baba venom.”

 

Link cringed at the mention of the plants.  “Yeah that’s.”  He cleared his throat.  “That’s good to keep them away from those things.”  He felt her pat his arm.  When he looked over, she gave him a sympathetic look that quickly changed to a bright smile.  He couldn’t help but smile back a little.

 

 

“So, this creature you’re after.”

 

“Rauru said he’d get back to me when your sister and Osfala were done going through the books.  Maybe it’s a dragon.”

 

“I really doubt that.”

 

“Well, it’s clawed; some dragons have horns that could cause that sort of damage on the bodies.  And it clearly was capable of breathing fire.”

 

“But dragons are intelligent.  You could reason with a dragon.  And if there was one around here, we’d know.  From what you described too, it sounds like it’s too small to be a true dragon.”  She looked up through the canopy at the sunlight.  “So it can fly.  You said no tracks, right?  And it carried the horse off.”

 

“Yeah.  That’s what it looks like.  And…”  The charm around his neck began to shake slightly on its golden string.  He gripped it, but heard no voices.  He couldn’t hear the birds anymore either.  Link scanned the clearing they’d entered.  There was the crunching of bones and sloppy squish of raw meat accompanying the sounds of water lapping along the stream.

 

“What?”  She looked in the direction he was and sharply inhaled.  Her fingers gripped the staff tighter.

 

“How did we just walk right into that thing?” he asked in a whisper.

 

“Sweet Farore.  That’s an aquamentus.”

 

 

The single-horned draconid lay on a large rock by the stream, the horse’s carcass in its foreclaws.  Its leathery wings bent over its back.  It ripped the rear leg of the horse off with a snap and tilted its head skyward, scarfing it down whole.  Its jaws snapped the bones apart and swallowed.  It started to sniff the air as the spiked scales down its spines twitched with its tail.

 

Link gripped the charm tighter.  “Rauru, if you’re there, I think we just ran into the monster that’s been along the roads.”  There was no response.  “Anyone?” he asked, a little worry in his voice due to there not being an immediate response.

 

“Link?” he heard the old priest say in his mind.  “You found it?!”

 

“It’s an aquamentus according to Lana.”  He started to back away into the forest again.  Lana was right with him, clutching her staff.

 

“An…  How are you sure?”

 

“Because we’re looking right at it.”  The beast’s nostrils flared.  Puffs of smoke slipping out of its jaws and snout as its head snapped to them.  “And now it’s looking right-”

 

“Don’t make any sudden moves,” Rauru said.  “It watches for movement in its prey and is incredibly territorial.  Watch for its reactions.”

 

“Uh, Rauru?” Lana’s voice echoed in his head too then.  “It’s spreading its wings.”

 

“Get behind some trees!”

 

The aquamentus roared as its wings spread and it leapt off the rock, knocking the horse carcass into the stream.  It dove at the young hylians, all claws extended like a bird of prey.  Link let go of the charm and dove to his right.  The creature saw the movement and with a flick of its wings, changed mid-dive to go after him.  Its claws crashed into the earth and snapped its jaws at him with a snarl.  It nearly caught his foot as he got back up.  Link pulled his sword and shield from his back and took on a defensive posture.

 

“Don’t be stupid!  Let’s get out of here!” Lana shouted.

 

“You saw it dive!  It’s too fast!” he shouted back.  “It’ll get us before we can get away!”  The monster swept a claw out at him, snapping branches above.  He raised his shield over his head to block a large branch from landing on top of him.  “Can we slow it down at all?”

  
He saw her nod as a blue light started to form in her free hand.  “Just keep it distracted!”

 

Link smiled a little and rattled his sword against his shield, moving between the trees around the clearing slowly.  The beast kept following his movements, waiting for a moment to strike.  He watched the monster carefully and saw it swing its claws again when he took a step forward.  He hopped back to avoid being gutted.  A pair of long roots burst out of the earth and wrapped around its rear legs as he did.  He didn’t have a sword that was strong enough, but he did have the Thunderbird potion.  He pulled it out of the pouch on his belt and ripped the cork out with his teeth.  The roots tightened, thorns appearing to dig into its hide as he chugged the potion.

 

 

His vision swam as the liquid seared his throat.  The world around him became clearer.  The movements of the aquamentus were easier to follow now.  He could focus his senses as the elixir mixed with his magically-augmented body.  His skin paled and a few veins became visible on his face while he felt his muscles react as they had the first time he’d consumed it following his earlier trials.  The aquamentus snarled and fought against the large roots ripping out of the earth to hold it in place, fire spurting from its nostrils before it managed to free itself from one.  Link let out a roar as he ran towards it.  The beast turned back to him but when it swung, he flicked his fingers and vanished in a flash, leaving a green trail of wind magic behind him.  He swept the sword into the back of its right foreleg, slicing through scale and hide.  It let out a cry of pain in a reel, but quickly snapped at him once more.  With a kick, it broke free of the other vine around its hind leg.

 

 

Lana stayed back in the trees, a trio of spheres of ice orbiting around her palm.  In a flash, they shot out like comets into the aquamentus’ left wing, coating it in frost.  She flicked the staff and sent a flurry of rocks and dirt flying with magic then.  It turned though and its unfrozen side took the brunt of the pelting.  It did though cause it to spin in her direction to spit a fireball at her.  Two smaller flares shot out of its nostrils, cratering the dirt before Link stabbed deep as he could into its side.  It retaliated with a rear-leg kick that sent him into the stream.  He saw another few roots rip out of the ground and lash around the beast.  One swatted its frozen wing, causing it to shatter.  The aquamentus roared in pain, a flurry of fireballs erupting from its nostrils and jaws as it turned its attention to the mage.

 

On all fours, it bolted for her, horn lowered.  She shrieked something that he didn’t completely catch.  Link could smell wood burning as he forced himself back to his feet.  Trees quaked as the beast crashed into them, trying to impale or bite the sorceress in half.  It was completely distracted by the one who had crippled it so gruesomely.  It took Link a few breaths to get the air back in his lungs, he could see Lana couldn’t complete a spell with the monster so close and so ravenous.  He started rattling his sword against his wooden shield.  Its tail swept around, forcing him to roll under it as he got closer.  Again, it spat fire at his friend, but Link saw a flash of blue as one of the fireballs collided with a magic barrier.  Lana skidded back from the impact and fell down.  The aquamentus lowered its head and pushed its way through the trees at her.

 

The next time its tail came around, Link didn’t duck, but rather jumped.  The elixir and his training met to have him stab cleanly through it.  When it tried to move, the flesh tore, causing it to screech and turn its attention back on him, if only for a moment.  Its head spun around and another trio of fireballs erupted from its snout and jaws.  On adrenaline and instinct, he raised his shield in time to feel the impact of one collide with the shield’s boss.  It was incinerated in the time it took for him to scream at the pain and heat he felt in his bones.  He was on his back again, the beast turning its attention once more to the mage.  Link forced himself to his feet once more, training and conditioning from an early age kicking in to ignore the pain and the fact his right arm was almost useless at the moment.  He saw a stream of blue frost and green wind erupt out of Lana’s hands then, encasing the beast’s jaws in ice.  It would not hold though as the heat from the fire in its throat began to make the ice turn to steam.

 

Forcing himself, he took his sword in both hands and ran for its back once more.  Focusing his last magic reserves, he jumped and flickered in green light, leaving a trail and an emerald phantom where he’d left the ground.  His aim was off, but not by enough that it’d be a problem.  He landed with both feet on its shoulders and drove his blade into the back of its neck.  The aquamentus roared again, buckling back from the strike.  He pulled the sword out, flailing to keep balance before stabbing it again, this time severing its spine.  The creature’s entire body convulsed once before its legs gave out.  The roars stopped suddenly and its eyes bulged in its skull.

 

 

Link looked up at Lana as he stumbled off the creature’s shoulders, sword still stuck in its neck.  A crystalline barrier floated around her, cracking like ice due to the damage from the monster.  She was catching her breath still, but didn’t seem to have suffered anything other than maybe a bruise or two.  She spun around, energies crackling in her hand when they heard twigs snapping.  It wasn’t long after they spotted charging through the trees, sword in hand, Alfonzo followed by a trio of soldiers.  A fourth came up behind them, guiding Epona and the stallion through the trees.

 

“Link!” Alfonzo shouted, seeing his charge struggling to stand.

 

“I’m-I’m okay,” he managed, reaching around to the pouch on his belt.  When he dug his fingers into it though, he found it soaked and shards of glass.  “You wouldn’t happen to have a red potion?”

 

Alfonzo dug into a pouch on his own belt and handed him the red vial.  He pulled the cork before handing it to Link.  “An aquamentus!  Only you would just so happen to walk right into the thing that’s been harassing travelers!”  He laughed a little as he sheathed his sword.  “You blocked a fireball again I see.”

 

“Again?!” Lana cried.

 

“I just reacted,” Link said before drinking the potion.  “I knew I should’ve used Nayru’s Love there.”

 

She sighed, bowing her head.  “You always react more than stop and think, Link.  Why’d you wait though to use Farore’s Wind when it was going after me?”

 

“Well, never jump on an advantage when it first appears.  Wait until it has maximum impact.” 

 

“So you were paying attention in class the other day.”

 

Link gave a single nod before he coughed and buckled over as the elixir began to mend his body.  Bruised and cracked bones seared with pain and his arm itched with incredible discomfort as the skin scabbed over quickly.  It would leave another scar for his growing collection.  When he looked though it didn’t look like it would be as bad as the teeth that had sunk into his sides when he was only ten.  “When it wasn’t…”  There was a snap that interrupted his train of thought as he felt a dislocated finger right itself in the battle trance from the thunderbird.  “OW!”

 

“Rauru said not to let you get hurt,” Alfonzo said.  Link nodded in confirmation through clenched teeth and with eyes screwed tightly shut as he caught his breath.  When he opened them again he offered the sorceress a smile.  “Swear though, kid.  Your attempts at chivalry are gonna get you in trouble one of these days.”

 

“Least I don’t have to hear another lecture from Rauru though like with the cuccuos!” he said.

 

“That was five years ago.”

 

“Doesn’t matter.”  He shook his head and stood upright then. 

 

“So that’s it then?” Lana asked, looking at the dead monster.  The soldiers were now inspecting the creature.  “He’s done it?”

 

Alfonzo walked around the corpse, inspecting it.  “Hmm.  Could’ve projected your Din’s Fire into a stream too instead of a dome if you wanted to get it to focus on you rather than her.  That’s a very good way to get something’s attention.  And given her ice magic, the sudden changes in temperature would’ve shocked it.”  He noticed the sword in the neck.  “Missed your first strike, but the second severed the spinal cord.”  He nodded in approval.  “A quick and painless death from that blow.  That’ll make taking its head back easier too.”

 

“So…  Did I pass?” Link asked.

 

“You killed it, that’s a pass.”  He pulled a knife from his belt with a smile and handed it to Link before also handing a large steel hook.  “Now, we bring back proof that the beast is slain.  We’ll get a message to the capitol and then you’ll have your Royals!”

 

In spite of his exhaustion, Link smiled as he took the knife and hook from his mentor.  “Thank you.  But I don’t think I could’ve done this without Lana’s help.  She froze its wing and broke it so it couldn’t fly anymore.”

 

“But it knew I did it,” she said.  “So it saw me as the bigger threat then.”

 

“It did,” Alfonzo said.  He looked at them both for a moment.  “Y’know, long ago, Chosen were often paired with a mage.  They’d be trained together.”

 

“So what happened then?” Link asked.

 

“According to our history, The Interloper Inquisition.”  The mention of it grabbed the soldiers’ attention and sent a chill down Link’s spine.  “Now’s not the time for a history lesson though.”  He looked back to the soldiers.  “Head back to the road!  We’ll be along shortly!”

 

Link nodded in agreement and looked to the body of the aquamentus.  He spun the knife in his hand so he was holding it in a reverse and pushed his thumb down on the end.  It rose in the air as he knelt down and drove it into the wound from the sword to claim the beast’s head as his first kill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, schedule slips happen. But least it's only a day late. Onto the notes.
> 
> -Given this entire undertaking started last year at the 30th Anniversary, I felt it only appropriate for this interpretation of Link to go up against the very first boss in the entire series; the aquamentus. Mechanically it's not so threatening, so I obviously took a few liberties  
> -A lot of the spells found in the games could easily be adapted into witcher signs, so this is something I'm gleefully running with.  
> -The fact they literally walked right into it is gonna get lampshaded.
> 
> And that closes out the first of these short pieces!
> 
> Coming sometime this month; Link, a feathered bard and a greedy sailor infiltrate a mercenary camp to rescue a noble's kid! But also find more than they bargained for.
> 
> Until next time folks, DFTBA.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this has been a long time brewing and I’ve finally worked up the courage to try throwing it on the net and seeing what happens. It all kinda started though when playing a couple old Zelda titles and realizing Link actually has a bit in common with a witcher's trade. He explores dangerous environments, tracking down and killing monsters that threaten people (admittedly not for pay) a skilled swordsman, may know some simple magic and, most importantly, learns his enemy's weakness and exploits it ruthlessly.
> 
> And thus this entire project was born.
> 
> Other notes:  
> -Alfonzo was chosen for his mentor for the simple fact that I have plans regarding other 'mentor characters' Link knows.  
> -Link is probably in his late teens for this piece  
> -Lana's outfit redesign for this piece was influenced by Triss' from Assassins of Kings. Besides, all that white would get very messy very fast even if she was just picking plants for potions in the forest.
> 
> Anyways that wraps up the notes. Part two will be coming before Friday!


End file.
